Edition Stiftung International

The Edition Stiftung International is particularly dedicated to musical autographs from the 18th and 19th centuries, which have until now received relatively little attention despite their considerable musical value. A particular focus is on chamber music works by Bohemian composers. Furthermore, the edition includes rare and significant works such as the three-volume comprehensive edition of Johann Wenzel Tomaschek’s vocal compositions, which features over 40 of Goethe’s beloved settings of his poetry. It also presents the inaugural print of Johann André’s opera Belmont and Constanze, along with intriguing piano compositions.

Each individual volume is provided with a foreword, a biographical sketch of the composer and work-specific notes. Where available, these also contain information on the history of the composition and its impact. Criteria of informed musical performance practice and the requirements of concert practice are equally taken into account. It does not include exemplary illustrations of parts of the autograph.

The music editions presented in the new engraving each comprise a score and, in the case of chamber music, the individual parts required for a performance in a simple number. They are divided into six different groups of works, reflecting the broad repertoire of musical life at the time:

musica per camera (chamber music)
musica per pianoforte (piano music)
musica per il concerto (concert music)
musica per il canto (music for singing)
musica per la chiesa (vocal music)
musica per il teatro dell’opera (operas)

The concept for the edition originated with Erich Fischer, who incorporated the performance of overlooked compositions from various historical periods into foundation’s charter of his International Foundation for the Promotion of Culture and Civilization.

The current status of the available volumes is documented in the new editions and is accessible online.

Wolfgang Antesberger (Ed.)

CHAMBER MUSIC

(b. August 2nd 1947, Bergen)

First Performance: USF Verftet, Bergen, March 28th 2009
Oliver Schütz, violin
Jostein Stalheim, accordion
Peter Palotai, bass
Knut Christian Jansson, piano

Ruth Bakke was educated as an organist at the Bergen Music Conservatoire – now Grieg Academy.
She completed a 2 year music study at the University of Oslo in half a year (spring 1968) and then passed an exam as an organist at the Bergen Music Conservatoire in June 1968. She then travelled to the USA on a Fulbright scholarship. She obtained a bachelor degree from Texas Lutheran College and a master degree (with a double major: composition & organ) from Washington State University. In august 1972 she moved back to Bergen and became the organist and choir director at Storetveit Church, a position she held for 45 years. She also taught sporadically at the Bergen Music Conservatoire/Grieg Academy and at the Bergen Teachers’ College (dept. of Music).

Bakke’s production includes orchestral and chamber music as well as many works for the organ and liturgical music, both vocal and instrumental. Her abilities as an improviser have seeped into her compositions, which often display seemingly intuitive elements and a keen ear for tonal colour within a clearly ordered framework. This is very obvious in the myriad registrations and nuances found in her fascinating music for the organ. In later works she has explored the possibilities of whole-tone structures from a very personal angle. …

(1774 – 1850)

__________

First complete edition of the songs of Johann Wenzel Tomaschek
Anniversary edition for the 250th birthday of the composer in three volumes compiled from old prints and manuscripts
__________

Johann Wenzel Tomaschek zählt zu den wichtigsten künstlerischen Persönlichkeiten Prags in der ersten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts. Dies erschließt sich u. a. aus der großen Anzahl seiner Schüler, darunter der Pianist Alexander Dreyschock und der bedeutende Musikkritiker Eduard Hanslick, der Tomaschek als „Dalai Lama von Prag“ adelte (Hanslick, Eduard: Aus meinem Leben, Bd. I. Berlin 1894. S. 26). Auch Presseberichte und dokumentierte Begegnungen mit Persönlichkeiten des Kulturlebens, darunter Richard Wagner, Clara Wieck, Franz Liszt, Hector Berlioz oder die Violinisten Niccolò Paganini und Ole Bull zeugen von Tomascheks internationaler Wertschätzung.

Während Tomaschek in Tschechien nach wie vor als die Schlüsselfigur der beginnenden musikalischen Romantik und damit als Wegbereiter für Smetana und Dvorak betrachtet wird, verbindet …

.

ORCHESTRA

(1829-34)
First publication 1837

Dedication
Karol Józef Lipiński (1790–1861) was known as “the Polish Paganini”. After he visited Leipzig in 1833, Schumann wrote: “Lipiński is here. These three words are enough for a music lover to set his pulse racing …For those who have not yet heard the powerful violin master, so adept at ushering one into the realm of previously unfamiliar feelings, it is recommended that they attend to this opportunity to enjoy his art: this is going to be a performance they may not experience again.”

Orchestrated by Maurice Ravel January 1914
2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (B-flat), 2 bassoons, 2 horns (in F), 2 trumpets (C), timbales, cymbals, timpani, cymbals, tambour militaire (snare drum), harp, strings
Commissioned by Vaslav Nijinsky (1889-1950) for his proposed 1914 London season

First publication (4 movements extant) 1975

Préambule. p. 1
Valse allemande. p. 19
Paganini. p. 22
Marche des Davidsbündler contre les Philistins p. 27

(b. Sontsovka, 27 April 1891 – d. Moscow, 5 March 1953)

Introduction p.3
Semyon and his Mother p.12
The Betrothal p.20
The Southern Night p.37
The Execution p.57
The Village is Burning p.74
Funeral p.120
Ours have come p.141

Preface
Although Prokofiev is probably best known for his orchestral music, but he constantly tried to establish himself as an opera composer, with mixed success. Semyon Kotko was written during a period when he was out of favour with the Soviet authorities. The opera was his attempt to write, as said, ‘a Soviet opera, heroic and constructive.’ It is derived from the 1937 novel I, Son of the Working People by Valentin Katayev, which is partly autobiographical; Katayev had served in the Red Army immediately after the Revolution. Katayev and Prokofiev worked together on the libretto for the opera, and the music was composed during 1938 and 1939. Semyon Kotko was given its first performance on 23 June 1940 under Mikhail Zhukov in Moscow and was briefly popular. It fell out of the repertory for political reasons and took a long time to be revived. However, it is now a repertoire work at the Mariinsky Theatre (formerly the Kirov) in St. Petersburg. …

(b. Frankfurt, 18 August 1881 – d. Würzburg, 1 January 1948)

Preface
Music was always a medium, allowing composers to explore new horizons while paying homage to the great masters of the past. One such examples are German composer Herman Zilcher’s Variations on a theme of Mozart for cello and orchestra, Op.95. In this magnificent piece, Zilcher masterfully weaves elements of Mozart’s genius with his own unique musical language, resulting in a composition that is both captivating and inspiring.

Herman Zilcher, a German composer and music teacher, was known for his unique understanding of Mozart’s variations. As a versatile musician who explored various musical genres from piano composition to choral works, his great love was for the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his art of variation, which became one of the defining aspects of his career. His research on Mozart sheds light on the complex processes of variation and reveals the genius behind Mozart’s musicality.

At the centre of Zilcher’s variations is a theme composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This theme, which serves as the foundation of the composition, presents a glimpse into Mozart’s musical world. By selecting a beautifully structured theme that captures the essence of the classical era, Zilcher acknowledges Mozart’s genius while also showing his own prowess as a composer. His mastery becomes evident when he takes Mozart’s theme and skilfully weaves a colourful tapestry of variations around it. Each variation introduces a unique perspective, exploring different musical elements such as harmony, rhythm, and texture. The rich orchestration complements the cello, allowing it to shine as the protagonist throughout the work. The variations range in mood and character, from tender and lyrical passages to virtuosic and triumphant ones. This diversity creates an engaging and dynamic listening experience, keeping the audience captivated from beginning to end. …